“Sky Blue Demon Roc?” Rock Solid asked in confusion. “What is that? A demonic beast?”
“In ancient times there was the Heavenly Roc. It was said to feed on dragons, possessed boundless strength, and its body stretched for a hundred thousand meters, soaring across the five continents. It could swallow clouds, breathe out mist, summon the wind and rain, and had immense divine powers.”
Venerable Nu continued, “During the Desolate Era, the Dragon Race was one of the great races among the beasts. Countless of their ancestors had ascended to the outer heavens, and no one dared provoke them. Yet this Sky Blue Demon Roc was so strong it forced the dragons into an agreement, each year the Dragon Race had to send over some of their most wicked and vile members for it to devour. Only then could the rest of the dragons remain safe.”
“So powerful...” Rock Solid said in astonishment.
“More than that. Though the dragons had exchanged safety, the Sky Blue Demon Roc was not satisfied. When it could no longer consume dragons, it turned its gaze upon the human race. Back then, during the Desolate Era, humans were frail beyond compare, completely no match for the Sky Blue Demon Roc. Tens of thousands of humans did not fall in racial wars but instead perished in the belly of that Roc. Later, when the Heavenly Dao Academy was established, the atrocities of this Roc enraged the human sages. The Ten Founders of the Academy joined forces and sealed the Roc. They then built the Academy upon the place of the seal, suppressing the Roc for countless ages as punishment for the crimes it had committed against the human race.”
“So that’s how it was. The Ten Founders truly were the blessing of our race,” Rock Solid said with emotion. “Then what now? Did something go wrong with the Roc’s seal?”
“Under the suppression of the seal, the Sky Blue Demon Roc had grown weaker and weaker. It was estimated that in another thousand years it would perish completely,” Venerable Nu sighed.
“Unfortunately, a few years ago the Roc Race came to rescue it, even attacking my Heavenly Dao Academy. That battle was one of the few great wars the Academy has faced in recent years. Although the powerful ones of the Roc Race were almost completely slaughtered, nine out of ten dead, they still risked annihilation of their entire race to damage the seal of the Sky Blue Demon Roc.”
“You mean, the Sky Blue Demon Roc is about to break free?” Rock Solid asked in shock.
From Venerable Nu’s description, back when the Dragon Race was at the zenith of their power, even they had to yield to the Roc.
This was enough to show just how terrifying its strength was.
If it were to break free from the seal, the consequences would be unimaginable.
And since it was sealed by the Ten Founders, the one it would hate most would certainly be the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Compared to back then, the human race today was thriving.
If united, the Roc naturally would not be a real threat.
But though humans were many, they were not united.
Now that the Sky Blue Demon Roc was about to emerge, not only would others not help, there were countless who wished to strike while the Academy was in crisis.
Otherwise, why would so many imperial lineages gather to destroy the Heavenly Dao Academy?
“The day it breaks free is not far. By then, a storm of blood and slaughter will be unavoidable,” Venerable Nu said. “Whether our Heavenly Dao Academy can survive this storm remains unknown.”
Rock Solid nodded slightly, lost in thought.
“What do you two plan to do?” Venerable Nu asked.
“Master, of course we will stay, live and die with the Academy,” Rock Solid replied quickly.
Xu Zimo also nodded slightly.
“I’ll take you to meet the Dean. The Academy is currently laying down great formations. Perhaps you can help,” said Venerable Nu.
“The Dean?” Rock Solid asked excitedly. “Our Dean is always elusive. I’ve been at the Academy this long, but I’ve never once seen them.”
“The Dean has never appeared?” Xu Zimo asked curiously.
“The Dean dislikes showing themselves. Usually Vice-Dean Li Changhe manages things,” Venerable Nu replied. “You’ll see once we get there.”
………
The two followed Venerable Nu, soaring into the air westward.
They finally stopped before a vast golden hall.
Above the hall, three words came into sight: Grand Dao Chamber.
These three words brimmed with Dao resonance. Merely the script itself suppressed the void around it.
Solemn and awe-inspiring.
Inside the hall, hundreds were already seated cross-legged.
Each radiated a boundless might, fierce as a storm, men and women, old and young alike.
Xu Zimo looked up and saw a woman seated in the chief seat.
He froze for a moment, he knew this woman.
It was the same white-robed woman he had met before, the one who lent him the token to enter the Academy.
He didn’t believe in coincidence. That meant she had been watching him all along.
“She’s the Dean?” Even Rock Solid was surprised. “Our Dean is a woman?”
“Silence,” Venerable Nu glanced at Rock Solid, then looked up at the woman on the seat.
He said, “Dean, these are my two disciples. Since the Academy now faces a great crisis and surely lacks hands, I’ve brought them to help.”
“Since when do you still care for Academy matters?” the woman said with a light laugh.
Ever since the Vermilion Bird’s death, Venerable Nu had confined himself to Vermilion Bird Island, no longer taking disciples, and rarely appearing.
“We meet again,” the woman looked at Xu Zimo, smiling with interest.
“Greetings, Dean,” Xu Zimo said evenly with a nod.
“No need for surprise. The reason I approached you before was to seek the aid of the True Martial Sacred Ground. There was no other motive,” the woman said.
Xu Zimo nodded.
“Very well, since you’re here, find seats on either side,” the woman said with a wave of her hand.
Venerable Nu sat on the left, joining other Academy teachers.
Xu Zimo and Rock Solid sat further back, to the far right.
“What’s our Dean’s name?” Xu Zimo asked Rock Solid in a low voice.
“I don’t know either. The Dean has always been mysterious,” Rock Solid shook his head.
At the front of the hall, the woman was speaking about the Academy’s situation.
Most of the details Xu Zimo already knew.
This time, the imperial lineages that came included not only local powers of the Overlord Region, like the Ancient Dragon Dynasty, Pure Yang Sacred Ground, Dark Heaven Sacred Ground, and the Merciful Voyage Sacred Ground, but also imperial lineages from the Western Continent.
This hall had gathered nearly all the Academy’s teachers.
Among them were many young elites.
Xu Zimo even saw Ji Ruobing there.
“Isn’t she the Saintess of the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground? Why is she here as well?” Xu Zimo asked in confusion.
“This is her personal training and choice. The Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground will not intervene,” Rock Solid explained.
“The sect has always been this way. For their Holy Sons and Saintesses, they never interfere in their decisions.”
Rock Solid then pointed out several young men and women seated at the front, introducing them one by one to Xu Zimo.